Mario Party 4

A predictable sequel with enough newness to make it one of the best party games on the market.

The party genre was given a big kick in the pants in February 1999 when Mario Party debuted on the Nintendo 64, proving that board games didn't have to be stale and that mini-games were the ultimate answer for four-player mayhem. Since then it has carried on the tradition with cookie-cutter sequels, and Mario Party 4, the debut of the series on GameCube, is no different. It walks the same path that the previous titles did, banking on the power of 50 totally new mini-games and vastly improved graphics to do the selling. It's nothing new, but it's brimming with enough cool mini-games to keep any Mario Party fan at bay.

Features

Several modes to choose from including single-player Story mode, pure Mini-Game mode, Party mode, and more

Gameplay This franchise is widely considered to have started the party game genre. It's a simple concept: four people trek their way around an interactive game board and indulge in a wide variety of mini-games after each turn. Instead of points, you earn coins, which allow you to buy stars if you land on the correct space. The player with the most stars and coins wins. As for the very important mini-game challenges, they range from free-for-alls, to 1v3, to 2v2 matches. The free-for-alls are certainly the most reoccurring, but the design calls for teamwork occasionally. It makes for an interesting dynamic, too, when you have to team up with the enemy. On the one hand, if you win, you earn equal points for the both of you. On the other hand, if you lose, you can stymie your partner, but that will give your contenders a lead. It's not a new concept to Mario Party, but it's one that is still appreciated.

The basic setup to the game is also quite familiar. There are five totally new game boards available from the get-go. They range from haunted Boo-themed environments to something more tropical like Koopa's Seaside Soiree. The new boards aren't just about atmosphere, though. Hudson has gone ahead and expanded the size of them in addition to implementing all-new spaces and interactive elements. On Koopa's Seaside Soiree, for example, you'll be able to buy items to power-up your game. Buy a Mega Mushroom and use it to stomp coins out from your opponents as you pass over them. Or, if you can afford it, buy a Genie to warp you to the star points, which can quickly alter the face of the game. The Seaside Soiree also contains animal interaction with a dolphin to ride upon for shortcuts and a monkey that tosses bananas in your way to randomize your chosen direction. There are a whole slew of events that can happen on the various boards. They help to ease the tediousness of rolling the dice, but it all pales in comparison to the mini-games.

Like all the Mario Party titles before it, this fourth edition's main appeal is the 50 completely new mini-games. The diverse offerings range from frantically shooting three-pointers to vying for the most surface area by stamping a piece of paper with a color of paint. As always, Hudson and Nintendo know how to put that magical touch into each of the mini-games. Almost all of them are uniquely entertaining. Even the most simplistic mini-game concepts, such as stacking the most dominos (called Domination) by mashing the A-button, can easily send the room into laughing fits as you and your friends wear your thumbs out to garner the top spot. Slamming the button repeatedly is basically all there is to it, but the on-screen element is executed nicely. You and your friends must tune in to watch the results as the dominos tumble one-by-one. As each row comes to a halt, places are decided, and the victor can rightly mock the losers.